Autotraction-vehicle.



PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

A. WENBERG.

AUTOTRACTION VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1903. RENEWED JUNE 9, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1..

N0 MODEL.

I PATENTED AUGLlfi, 1904.

A. WENBERG. AUTOTRAGTION VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1903. RENEWEDJUNE a, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

ALFRED VVENBERG, OF J OLIET, ILLINOIS.

AUTOTRACTION-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0 767,460, dated August 16, 1904. Application filed March 26, 1903. Renewed June 9, 1904. Serial No. 211,735. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED WENBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, in the county of IVill and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Autotraction-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for propelling and guiding sleighs and other vehicles adapted to run on snow or ice, and has for its chief objects to provide a powerdriven wheel that serves as the direct propelling feature and may be readily controlled by an occupant of the vehicle and to provide runners for the sleigh that may also be utilized to guide the sleigh in turning corners, thus cooperating with the drive or traction wheel above mentioned.

In carrying out my invention I may use any suitable traction-wheel; but I mount, connect, and drive same in a new and useful manner, and I so construct the runners of the sleigh that they may be turned at different angles, and thus control the direction of movement of the sleigh in a manner similar to that employed by a skater on ice when he wishes to alter his course.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, I have shown preferred embodiments of my new invention; but I do not wish to be limited to such construction, as it will be apparent that various modifications may be made in carrying out said invention without departure from the principles involved therein.

In said drawings, Figure 1 shows in side elevation a preferred form of my invention com plete, a portion of the body of the vehicle being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the means of holding down the turntable. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified method of attaching the traction-wheel. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the means of guiding the traction-wheel. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the vehicle-body on line 3 3, Fig. 4, and showing the means of guiding the sleigh-runners. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail, on an enlarged scale, of the braces for the sleigh-runners.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 represents a sleigh body or box provided with an ample rearward extension, a portion of the extreme end of which is cut away, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The body is supported on runners 2 in connection with iron braces 3 and 3*, the ends of which are bolted, respectively, to the bottom of the sleigh-body and to extensions 2 of the runners, bolts 3 passing thro ugh suitable openings in said extensions and in the lower ends of the braces 3, effecting a pivotal connection between said parts. The forward or how part of the runners is jointed and connected by a pivotal bolt 3, the upper part 2 of the runner being rigidly connected with the sleigh-body.

Mounted in suitable hangers 4", bolted to the under side of the bottom of the sleigh- -body, is a shaft 4, portions of which are squared, and on such portions are arranged collars 4 with which are pivotally connected links or bars 4, the lower ends of which are loosely connected with brackets 2 secured to the inner sides of the runners below their pivotal points. The shaft 4 is rocked in its bearings by a lever 4, which extends upwardly through an opening 4 in the bottom of the sleigh, and, if desired, means may be provided in any Well-known manner for holding said lever in its adjusted positions. It will be apparent that by throwing the lever to either side of its vertical position the shaft 4 will be rocked, and thus through the medium of the links 4 the runners will be turned on their pivots, the effect of which will be to guide the sleigh to the right or left, depending upon the direction of movement of the lever, in the same manner that a skater guides himself on the ice.

Mounted at the rear of the sleigh is a traction-wheel. 5, which is preferably made and mounted in the manner set forth in my application for patent under Se rial No. 128,819 and which need not be particularly described in this connection, as it forms, parse, no part of this invention. Thiswheel is connected with the sleigh by an extension 5 of the frame, in which the axle 5 of the wheel is mounted.

This frame may be horizontal, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or stepped, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward portion of the frame terminates in a rounded platform 5, a part of which is provided with teeth 5, which are engaged by the teeth of the worm-gear 8. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the platform rests upon the bottom of the sleigh and is provided with bearings 5, consisting of angle-plates one flange of which is bolted to the sleigh-bottom and the other flange overhangs the platform with sufficient play to permit the platform to turn easily in its bearings. Extending over the top of the platform and across the rear end of the sleigh is a truss 9, which is suitably secured to the sleigh-body, so as to resist the upward thrust of the frame 5 as the wheel is driven. Secured to the platform is a suitable motor, (indicated by 7,) on the shaft of which is a sprocket-wheel 5", which is geared to a similar sprocket on the axle 5 by a chain 5. An opening 9 is cut in the truss to permit the free movement of the chain without regard to the position of the wheel. .As shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the platform is supported on a vertical shaft 8, which in turn is supported in a frame 8, hung from the bottom of the sleigh and suitably braced by a rod 8, the ends of which are secured to the braces 3, as shown in Fig. 6.

The worm 8 is mounted in suitable bearings and carries at one end a bevel-gear 6 which meshes with a similar gear 6" on the rear end. of a shaft 6, mounted in hangers 6, secured to the upper side of the sleigh-body. The front end of this shaft is provided with a bevel-gear which meshes with a corresponding gear on the lower end of the guide-rod 6, on the upper end of which is a hand-wheel.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 instead of the rod or shaft 6 I utilize a sprocket-chain 6 to operate sprocket-wheels mounted, respectively, on the lower end of the guide-rod and the upper end of a shaft S to the lower end of which is fixed a bevel-gear 6'. Whether the chainless gearing shown in Figs. 1 and 2 be employed or that shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 be utilized the results of the manipulation of the hand-wheel on the guide rod in the usual manner will serve to turn the worm 8 and through it partially rotate the platform 5", and thus set the traction-wheel at the angle necessary to drive the vehicle around corners or cause it to make turns which could not be so easily effected by the manipulation of the runners in the manner above described.

I do not wish to be limited to any particular forms of transmitting-gear either between the rod 6" and the worm or between the motor and the traction-wheel, as various methods may be employed within the general scope of my invention. So far as I am aware, I am the first to employ in a vehicle of the class described a traction-wheel especially adapted to travel on snow or ice in connection with pivoted runners, also a guidable traction-wheel in connection with a sleigh which may be in dependently guided by the manipulation of its runners.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, is v 1. In anautovehicle of the character described, a body portion adapted to carry passengers, a traction-wheel mounted at the rear of the body and adapted to travel on ice or snow, means for driving said wheel said means connected with said body, and runners supzportingthe body, said runners having the lower portions pivoted on their upper portions, and means for turning said runners on their pivotal axis.

2. In an autovehicle of the character de scribed, a body portion adapted to carry passengers, a traction-wheel mounted at the rear of the body, adapted to travel on ice or snow and pivoted on a vertical axis,means for driving said wheel, and means for guiding the same, runners supporting the body of the vehicle and having their lower portions pivoted on their upper portions, and means for turning said runners on their pivotal axis.

3. In an autovehicle of the character described, a body portion adapted to carry passengers, a traction-wheel pivotally mounted at the rear of the body portion, means for driving said wheel said means connected. with and supported by the body portion, means for guiding said wheel, runners supporting the body of the vehicle and having their lower portions pivoted on their upper portions, and means for turning said runners on their pivotal axis.

4:. In an autosleigh, runners mounted to swing in planes lateral to the direction of their movement over the snow, means for controlling the lateral movement of said runners, and means for driving said sleigh.

5. In an autosleigh, runners mounted to swing in planes lateral to the direction of their movement over the snow, a shaft hung from the bottom of the sleigh, connections between the shaft and runners, and means for rocking said shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED IVENBERG.

IVitnesses:

F. BENJAMIN, L. Gr. Snow. 

